Rankin students hailed as heroes for actions after bus wreck

11:53 PM,
Dec. 12, 2012

Awarded medals by the Rankin County School District for their quick thinking, students Preston Jennings, 17, Isabella Hopkins, 12, and Matthew Melton, 17, helped save lives when they took action during a recent accident.

Written by

Therese Apel
| tapel@jackson.gannett.com

In early November, a situation that could have been a disaster was averted by an unlikely trio.

On Wednesday, the Rankin County School District recognized Isabella Hopkins, 12, and Matthew Melton and Preston Jennings, both 17, for their quick thinking that kept untold calamity at bay Nov. 8 when a district school bus was involved in a wreck.

Officials said an SUV ran a red light and hit the bus, which was carrying almost 30 children. The bus kept moving, its driver knocked unconscious by the impact. ...